A blind hiker and his guide dog are thankful to be safe and sound after multi-day ordeal stranded on an Oregon trail. The 55-year-old hiker, who is legally blind, his dog and friend were hiking along the Rogue River Trail when the blind hiker started to suffer from heat exhaustion and his friend set out to find help, that was on July 6th. The friend was eventually able to get cellphone service and called for rescue. A sheriff and a BLM ranger found the injured hiker July 8th after two days alone with his dog. He was unable to walk and extracting him with a stretcher was not an option as the terrain was far too steep. Authorities called in the Coast Guard who arrived in a helicopter and successfully hoisted the man and his dog off a rocky ledge. The pair were transported to emergency medical services at Grants Pass Airport. Great work by everyone involved in this rescue effort. Cheers!
U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest:
Bravo Zulu to U.S. Coast Guard Air Station North Bend!
On Monday, an aircrew rescued a 55-year-old man and his dog from the Rogue River Trail (mile 9) in SW Oregon. The man, who is legally blind, began hiking with a friend and his guide dog on July 3/4 and began to show symptoms of heat exhaustion on July 6.
Due to lack of cell service, the friend left the man to head towards Gold Beach to call 911. Oregon Department of Emergency Management and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office worked with BLM Oregon & Washington to develop a rescue plan in the remote area. In the early morning hours on Monday, a BLM ranger and a sheriff set out, and by 9 a.m., the man was located.
The man could not walk and the terrain was too rough for a wheel litter. The Coast Guard crew was vectored in, rescue swimmer deployed, the man and his dog were hoisted, and were then safely taken to EMS at Grants Pass Airport.
Great work by all involved!
